Must Read Texas – October 13, 2013

CRUZ WINS VALUES VOTER SUMMIT STRAW POLL;
DEM ATTORNEY SAM HOUSTON TO RUN FOR AG?
*****Good late evening from Austin.It’s been a long and exhausting weekend.Thanks for you patience.

I saw a number of MRT readers this weekend in Dallas.
Thank you for reading — and for the kind words.

Personal Note: It was quite satisfying today to see the Longhorns overcome a 14-point line to surprise OU in Dallas. UT hadn’t been an underdog by a line that large since 1979 (per ABC’s Brent Musberger). No one deserves to feel good, earn some rest, and be cut some slack more than Mack Brown after that win.

Here’s the short (Saturday) brief:

CRUZ WINS HANDILY VVS STRAW POLL

From the press release issued by the Family Research Council:

Sen. Ted Cruz Wins Values Voter Summit Straw Poll
October 12, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) has won Family Research Council Action’s 2013 Values Voter Summit Straw Poll, receiving 42 percent of the votes cast. Dr. Ben Carson finished in second place, with one vote separating him from former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.). They each finished with 13 percent of the vote. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) came in fourth and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fl.) came in fifth, with six percent and five percent respectively.

Dr. Carson won the vice presidential straw poll, with 21 percent of votes cast. Sen. Cruz came in second with 17 percent and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was third with nine percent of the vote.

Over 2,200 people were registered for the eighth annual Values Voter Summit. Only FRC Action members who were present at the event were allowed to vote.

Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins released the following statement in reaction to the 2013 Values Voter Summit Straw Poll:

“The Values Voter straw poll reveals what conservative, Republican-leaning voters are looking for in a potential candidate. Values voters are looking for those who will refuse to be bound by the ‘can’t mentality’ of the establishment and will challenge the status quo.

“In short, values voters, many of whom did not fully engage in the last election, are looking for a leader that will inspire them by challenging President Obama and speak clearly and directly to the challenges facing America,” Perkins said.

The following are the straw poll results:

Presidential Candidate Name Votes Percentage

Senator Ted Cruz

317

42%

Dr. Ben Carson

102

13%

Senator Rick Santorum

101

13%

Senator Rand Paul

49

6%

Senator Marco Rubio

36

5%

Congressman Paul Ryan

31

4%

Governor Mike Huckabee

27

4%

Governor Mike Pence

23

3%

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann

16

2%

Governor Rick Perry

12

2%

Governor Chris Christie

9

1%

Write In Candidate

8

1%

Governor Scott Walker

8

1%

Governor Bobby Jindal

7

1%

Governor Jeb Bush

6

1%

Speaker Newt Gingrich

4

1%

Governor Susana Martinez

2

0%

Senator Mike Lee

2

0%

Governor Sam Brownback

1

0%

Senator Hillary Clinton

1

0%

Vice Presidential Candidate Responses:

Dr. Ben Carson

161

21%

Senator Ted Cruz

127

17%

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann

72

9%

Senator Rand Paul

64

8%

Senator Marco Rubio

56

7%

Senator Rick Santorum

55

7%

Congressman Paul Ryan

41

5%

Governor Scott Walker

32

4%

Governor Mike Huckabee

29

4%

Senator Mike Lee

26

3%

Write In Candidate

24

3%

Governor Mike Pence

22

3%

Governor Bobby Jindal

15

2%

Governor Rick Perry

9

1%

Governor Susana Martinez

7

1%

Governor Sam Brownback

7

1%

Governor Chris Christie

4

1%

Governor Jeb Bush

4

1%

Congressman Eric Cantor

4

1%

Speaker Newt Gingrich

2

0%

Senator Hillary Clinton

1

0%

LSP FLOATS ATTORNEY SAM HOUSTON FOR AG

Quorum Report broke the news that outside group Lone Star Project, run by Matt Angle, issued a press release Friday afternoon making the case that Houston attorney Sam Houston would be a viable (and likely) candidate for Attorney General.
Here’s the release.
Houston ran for Texas Supreme Court in 2008 and was the “top Democratic vote getter” that year with over 3.5 million votes.

—

#txlege– Politifact weighs in (behind paywall) on the charge made by Lt. Gov. candidate and State Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) that his three Republican opponents voted for in state tuition for illegal aliens.

Other stories of interest:– Reuters looks at the divergent views of Sen. Cruz within the Republican Party.
– Hecklers protested Sen. Cruz during his speech at the Values Voter Summit in DC on Friday.
– The DMN editorial board believes the penalty against the company responsible for the West, TX fertilizer plant was far too low.